


The Moments In Between

by Chatterbox1



Series: Who We Are [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Bunch of friends hanging out and having fun, F/F, F/M, Gen, Kind of a backstory, M/M, This is just a side story to the main one, but not really, letting loose, pure fluff, this is just fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 10:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chatterbox1/pseuds/Chatterbox1
Summary: Just some odd one-shots about different characters from MDCTE. Mostly OC's with some cannon splashed in there. Like, the tags say this is fluff and not really backstory. I might add some missing scenes from the MDCTE in here. We'll see.





	The Moments In Between

She first met him on the Bus to Princeton University. It had been the night that she ran away and got on a bus to the college of her dreams. Her parents wanted her to go to another school of their choosing but she threw caution to the wind and disobeyed them. She left them a note telling them where she was going then left.

He sat next to her on the bus and the first thing she noticed about him was how well he dressed. Unlike everyone else, including herself, he was dress as if going to a dinner party. His dress shirt was a light blue button-up with dark blue dots on them. He wore a navy vest with black with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was black and curly with a long face and bright hazel eyes. She could tell by just looking at him that he hated almost everything. That’s why she instantly liked him.

He was tall and lanky barely an inch of muscle on him. He was at least six foot two and towered over everyone else on the bus. He lounged back on his phone scrolling through different platforms and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. His long legs were propped up in the space in between the chairs in front of them.

Rose tried her hardest not to stare at him. She moved in her seat and looked away from him as best she could. She would have gotten her phone out but it was currently charging. It was like this man demanded all the attention in the room. She let out a deep sigh while rubbing her face. Sleep deprivation was not helping her at all.

“Can you take your self-pity somewhere else you’re really killing my vibe here.” She heard him talk. She looked over to see that his eyes had not wondered from his phone. His voice was low and slightly feminine with the way that he talked. The tone of his voice was also as if he spoke with pure sarcasm.

Rose glared at him momentarily, “I’m not pitying myself.” She snapped at him.

He glanced over at her while still remaining in the same position. He eyed her up and down and she tried her best not to squirm. “Honey.” He said to her, “No one wears Captain America pajama pants on a bus. At midnight on a bus to New Jersey unless they plan on throwing a pity party or working out some sever child issues.”

“I…was in a rush.” She replied slowly. Rose looked down and frowned at her Captain America pants. Pulling her knees up to her chest she tried her best to hide them. They were her favorite pair of pajama pants.

The man raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her. Then he turned back to his phone, “Child issues it is.”

Rose let out a huff, “I’m sorry who are you again?”

“Names Alexios Reed.” He said putting his feet down from the chairs in front of them. He held out his hand and looked at her expectantly waiting for her to take it. “Come one take it, I don’t have all the time in the world you know.” She quickly took his hand and shook it.

“I’m sorry? Alexios?” She asked wondering if she heard him correctly.

He rolled his eyes, “Yes. Alexios. Pronounced Ah-Lex-E-Us. But, since everyone always gets it wrong you can just call me, Alec.”

“And what qualifies you to make any judgments about me?”

“Considering you’re sitting next to me looking like a twelve-year-old on the verge of having a mental breakdown.” He looked her up and down and raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her, “A lot.” He then went back to looking at his phone.

Rose, in any usual situation, would be offended by this. But, considering it was nearly entering 12:30 am territory she was willing to let it slide. Also, he had a point, she probably looked ridiculous sitting there in her pants.

Rose took a gulp swallowing her anxiety, fear, and pride and softly turned her head towards Alec. “I’m Rose, Rose Ward. And the reason I look like this is that I just ran away from home.”

“Ward?” He asked surprised, “Isn’t your dad a senator and brother running for a place in the Senate?”

She nodded her head confirming it, “Unfortunately. All of them wanted me to go MIT for political science…” She trailed off and gestured to the bus around her. Showing him that that was not her intended course of action.

Alec smiled. He sat up and was no longer slouching. His phone was discarded off to the side and he put his hands over his chest. She looked at his face to see that his small lips were now quirked upwards and his hazel eye twinkling. “Well.” He said drawing out the word, “Aren’t you the little rebel.” He said with a hint of humor.

Rose rolled her eyes, “I’m anything but that.” She argued back, “I just…I couldn’t take it there anymore. All the lies and the bullshit that they make me go through. I mean my mother made me and all my brothers learn Russian. Who the hell makes their kids learn Russian?”

Alec shrugged, “People who have ties to Russian?” he guessed. Then he rested his hand on his chin and looked at her. “You know what you need.”

Rose raised an eyebrow, “What?” She said slowly.

A slow smirk made its way onto his face, “A ranting sensation.” He then patted his thigh, “Now come on. Tell Alec all of your troubles and woes.”

“But I barely know you.”

“Oh honey…” he said his eye brightening, “I got a feeling you and I are going to be the best of friends.”

Thus, began the friendship of Alexios Oscar Reed and Rose Elena Ward.

* * *

 

Ever since the bus they had stayed together. Thick as thieves no one ever getting in their ways. When she had found out that, he too, was going to Princeton she felt like the universe had finally favored her. They always had the majority of general classes together and whenever a group assignment came up they were always paired together.

Although it became clear early on that their work ethics were vastly different. Rose would dive head first into something while Alec would sit back and watch her work. She wouldn’t call him lazy, because he did his side of the work, but he was more observant. She knew that he would always watch her work. Like he was taking in every detail of how she did something for future reference. When she would forget to eat or relax he was the first one to remind her to do so.

It was a little unnerving sometimes.

At the same time, though, it felt good to know that someone had her back. To know that someone was there and always wanted to be there for her. Growing for her was always difficult, she always had trouble finding her knitch in the family.

Maynard/ Christian was the Politician.

Grant was the Soldier.

Tommy was the Jokester.

Rose was…well, she wasn’t actually sure yet. But, if she had to guess she was the Buffer. The binding force that kept her brothers from killing each other.

She wasn’t an idiot she knew the types of things that happened in their house. The way that Grant would flinch every time that Christian raised his hand. The way that Tommy’s eyes glance down whenever their father would ask how school was going. The treatment only grew worse with age. She watched her older brothers fight and it tore her apart.

Then, one night, in the summer during the dead of night it had all changed. She never spoke of that night to anyone. Not even Tommy who became her confidant after Grant was sent away. When the fire had happened, she knew that their lives had all changed and not for the better. She kept silent as they dragged her brother’s name through the mud. She was a little girl. Who would believe a little girl?

As she grew up and into her teens, she witnessed the abuse that Tommy had once gone through. Not to the extent that he had gone through but some nonetheless. It stopped when Christian left and it was just her and Tommy left. Then once Tommy left and it was just her Rose had realized how lonely she was.

Her mother had always made her attend ballet classes till she was sixteen. The only friend that she had made there was the one woman named Natalie. Who was tall and lean with flaming red hair that always changed style every month or so. She had startling blue eyes that scared her sometimes because of how cold they looked. But, Natalie was always kind to her and when Swan Lake rolled around she even helped her with some extra practice. Ballet had never been her thing. She was not tall and petite like the other girls. Instead, she was quite short, only reaching five one in flats. Instead of being lean she had many more curves than the other girls.

It was Natalie who had told her to sign up for boxing and rock climbing. Rose took her advice and tried it out and to her great surprise, she liked it. Unlike ballet were every move was coordinated rock climbing was about freedom and thinking outside the box. Boxing she enjoyed because she was able to get her anger out on something.

Once her final year of high school rolled around Rose made up her mind that she was not going to do what her parents wanted her to do. She had spent her childhood looking up to Captain America and priding herself about how she wanted to be like him. See the places that he went and all the different history of everything. It was in her final year that she realized her passion that had been there all along. Archeology was something that she would never grow tired of. She knew that the subject could never be breached with her parents, so she made all plans and arrangements on her own.

Which lead her to that bus.

With Alec, she felt like she was finally finding herself. With Alec, she felt like she was home. Everybody had always told her that soulmates were about finding someone you share everything with. Rose had always scoffed at that idea, how boring. If she had found someone exactly like her she would probably go mad. Soulmates, to her, were about finding the person you click most with and feeling at home with them.

This was not a _When Harry Met Sally_ situation. They two had never grown to have any feelings for each other in the romantic sense. Although, she would also like to note that Alec had more boyfriends than girlfriends. And the girlfriends that he did have were not pleasant and very annoying to be around.

Her boyfriends had been kept to a minimal. She never really dated some guy more than four months at a time. She blames her parents for her fear of commitment of romantic relationships. They had been sweet and caring but overall she kept it pretty bland. Her true love and passion laid in her school work and focusing on getting her degree. Alec was the closest thing she was probably ever going to get to marriage. And she was just fine with that.

Speaking of Alec, Rose heard the steps of her friend fall into line with her. Today he was wearing tan dress pants with a dark blue button-up and a grey vest with dark grey dots filling it. Rose rolled her eyes, sometimes she wonders why he dresses up so much.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” he asked as he looked down at his phone. Rose had to take longer strides just so she could keep up with him.

“Same thing I always do on a Friday night.”

“So, eat Cherry Garcia ice cream while you watch reruns of _Grey’s Anatomy_?”

Rose nodded her head, “Yep.” She said popping the ‘p’.

Alec then put his whole body in front of her stopping her from moving forward. He held out his hands to make sure that she couldn’t get past him. Rose glared up at her friend who only gave her that sarcastic smile. “What if I told you I could come up with a better plan?” he asked flipping a piece of his curly black hair back.

“What’s better than ice cream and _Grey’s Anatomy_?”

“Uhh…A social life.” He said slowly as if it were a fact. Rose only scoffed at the idea of it. She made a move to go around her but Alec was able to block her again. Growing frustrated Rose crossed her arms over her chest. “Here me out for a second.” He pleaded. She thought for a moment then sighed letting him continue, “What if I told you that your best friend was able to get you into the new Captain America exhibit at the Smithsonian?”

Rose’s eyes grew wide, “Those tickets aren’t even on sale yet?”

“Well, I one of my ex’s cousin works there and he offered to let us in for a sneak preview.”

“You talk to your ex’s cousin?” She asked completely forgetting about Captain America.

Alec waved his hand, “Yeah, I accidentally slept with him.” He said quickly causing her more confused. “Besides that point. I got you tickets to see the exhibit and we are going tonight because we have to be there by eight.”

“Alec my last class ends at four thirty. And with all that traffic then we would never be able to make it in time.”

Alec let out a frustrated groan and pitched the bridge of his nose, “Oh my god I’m friends with you.” Then letting his fingers go he started gesturing widely with his hands, “How about, for once in your life, you just skip the class.”

The idea was so scandalous to her that she actually put a hand over her heart as if he hurt her. “Skip class?” Rose asked, “Alec, I can’t just skip a class. Hell, I’m paying six hundred dollars just to take this class.”

He rolled his eyes, “Then just get the notes from someone else.” He said then put a hand on her shoulder and leaned down. So, that his eyes were leveled with hers, “What would you rather do? Go to boring old speech class or go see the Captain America exhibit that isn’t even open to the public yet?”

She scrunched her face up and stomped on the ground hard like she was a child, “Damnit!” She exclaimed then motioned for Alec to lead the way, “This better be worth it.”

Alec smirked and put on a pair of sunglasses as the hurried along the sidewalk. His long strides making it difficult to keep up. “I just love being the Devil on your shoulder.” He said happily while putting his hands into his pockets.

Rose rolled her eyes as she adjusted her backpack on her shoulders. She didn’t try to hide the smirk that came on her face. Alec would do this occasionally. Just shower her with random gifts because he could. She told him that he didn’t have to do it but he insisted. Rose wasn’t going to lie, she did like half the gifts he got her though. But, something Rose would have to step in and stop Alec from doing something stupid.

“Yeah, well, I hate being your impulse control.” She grumbled.

Alec scoffed, “Rosie Bear you are not my impulse control. If anything, you are what triggers it.”

“How do I trigger it?” She asked baffled by what he just said.

Alec held up his hand as they stopped in the middle of the parking lot, “Hold on. Give me a second.” He asked.

Alec took his car keys from his hand and clicked the unlocked button. She heard a car unlock and she looked over to see his red convertible headlights blink twice. They both walked over to the car and instead of opening the car door Alec just jumped over the door and landed into his seat. Rose opened the passenger door and got into the car normally. Once she closed the door and threw her backpack in the back seat she looked over to her friend.”

“Are you going to answer me now?” She asked while putting on her seatbelt.

Alec adjusted his mirrors and started the car, “Can’t you just let this go and be thankful that we’re friends.”

“Can’t you just answer a question?” She snapped back.

She watched as Alec gripped the steering wheel hard. He then licked his lips and tightened his jaw while the corner of his eye twitched slightly. That only happened when he was about to lie. Rose had never told him that it was his tick. She never planned on telling him about it.

Alec then turned to her and gave her a false smile. Something that sent shivers down her back, “I guess you just bring it out of me.” He finally said and again his eye twitched.

To ease the tension in the air Rose scoffed and leaned forward to turn on the radio. She turned the volume knob and grimaced when the song came on. “Ick.” She said in disgust, “I hate Taylor Swift.” Alec chuckled and shook his head. “What?” She asked in confusion.

Alec smirked as he was pulling out of the parking space, “Nothing, it’s just, I know someone who would have a heart attack if he heard you say that.”

Rose huffed, “Well, he has terrible taste in music then.” She then leaned forward to change the channel. Rose then watched as Alec smiled to himself. Like he was remembering some sort of inside joke that she was unaware of.

Throwing the thought into the back of her mind Rose turned up the volume as she heard the song. She bit her lip in excitement and bobbed her head to the beat, “Alight, now this is what I’m talking about!” She then started singing the first part to _Under Pressure_ by David Bowie. Alec joined in a few moments later. Then as they made it to the main road Rose threw her hands up in the air and screamed with joy.

Then both her and Alec looked at each other as they approached the red light. Then smirked and threw both their hands up into the air singing very loudly, “ _UNDER PRESSURE_!!” and the two were off. College forgotten for the night.

They would leave it until the sun rose again but for now, this was their time. This was their moment. And nothing was going to take that away from them.


End file.
